Rock Island daily Argus., 1887-02-12
(CoNTINUED.)
CHAPTER XIX.
THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER.


morning, with full haversacks and cartrii.c
boxes The next day all the roads leading
southwark became as rivers flowing armed
men. Endless streams of blue, thickly glntcd
everywhere with bright and ominous steel,
wound around the hills poured over the
plains, and spread out into angry lakes
wherever Confederate outpost checked the
flow for few minutes
Four thousand troopers under the heroic
Stanley-the foam crest on the war biilow-
dashed on in advance. Twelve thousand
steadily moving infantry under the luckless
McCook poured down the Franklin turn
pike, miles away to the right; twelve thou
sand more streamed down the MurfreeShorO
pike on the left, with the banner Of the over
weighted Crittenden, while grand old Thomas,
he whose trumpets never sounded forth re
treat, but always called to victory, moved
steadfast as a glacier III the center, with as
many more, a sure support and help to those
on either hand
The mighty war wave rolling up the deep
plateau of the Cumberland was fifteen miles
wide now. 1t would be less than a third of
that when it gathered itself together for its
mortal dash upon the rocks of rebellion a.
MurfreesborO
1t was Friday morning that the wave be
gan rolling southwark All day Friday, and
saturday. and Sunday, and Monday il rolled
steadily onward. sweeping before it the
enemys pickets and outrosts as dry sand by
an incoming tide. Monday evening the lead
ing divisions stood upon the bridge where
Rachel and Forner had stood and looked
rs they did upon the lights OF Murfreesboro.
TWO miles away
Two davs from tomorrow is New Years"
said Kent Edwards Dear festival of egg
nogg! how sweet are thy memories | hope
The Tennessee hens are DOING theii duty this
winter. So that we'll have no trouble finding
eg--,s when we get to Murfreesboro to-mor-
row"
We are likely to be so busy rendering the
compliments of the season to Mr. Bragg"
said Harry, lightly, that we will probably
have but little time to make calls urcn the
lady hens who keep open nests
We all may be where well need lots o
cold water more than anything Else, ," said
Abe erimly
Well, satd Kent blithelv. If I'm to h.
made a sweet little angel don't know auv
day that ! would rather have for nv promo
'0n to date from. II would have a vprv
proper look to Put in the full year here on
earth, and start in with the new one in
world of superior attractions
Well | declare. IT here sn't DR. nenslow,"
sand Harry delichtedlv rs he recognized a
horseman, who rode up 10 them How did
Won come here We thought YOU were per
manently stationed at TIE grand hospital
SO was. replied the doctor. SO was,
at ie,tSt so lar as general orders could do it.
But felt that l could not be away from nv
boys at thi, supreme moment, and an here
though the irregular way in which detached
,.yseh from mv post may require cypig
nation 10 a court martial Ans how. it i, a
grateful relief to be auev from the smell of
chloride OF lime. and GET q breath of fresh
viz that : not mingled with the grOaHs nf
ward full nj SICK men 1t looks, be coatin-
ned, with a comprehensive glance at the
fiTrrameHt 81 Confederate campiireS that made
Glurfreesboro seem tha centre ol n rt,ldv
Milky way. as if tie grand climax Is at last
At hanj Bragg, like the worm. viii al last
turn, and after velrnf foot races we'il have
fight which will settle who Is the srlperflu-
aas cat in this allav There Is certainly oil.
700 many
'The sooner it comes TIE better said
Harry firmly. 1t las to te sometime. md
im getting very anxious for an end to this
eternal marching and counternaTching
NJ winsonne littIe feet. Kent Edwards
put in, plalutvelv, are knohby a. e burglar
proof safe, with corns anl hupiouS. ail of
them more tender than maiden heart. and
painful a mistake IN a poker hand Therr'o
,.,y,p fy-r,tt ,F
hills I've had t. tramp over hecaus,. Of Mr..
Bra-gs retiring disposition. New. if he'- got
the spirit Of . man h"'I come out from under
the bed ard fight me
% he'll come out--heii come oui-never
YOU fear said Abe. 5ardonIc a. usual Hes
got day or twos leisure now to attend TO
his business. 4 hundred thousand Of him
wiil corna ont. They'll swarm out 0 them
cedar thirkets there like g,nsshoppers out of
a timothy field
BOYS, said Harry, returning after Il few
minutes atsenco. the colonel SAYS wen go
into camp right here, iJI,t as We stand Kent
I'll take the Canteens and hunt up water, If
you and Abe will break some cedar boughs
for the bed. and get the wood to cook supper
with
All righ, responded Kent. III 20 after
the bouShs"
That puts me in for the wood, grumbled
Abe And don't suppose there's fence
inside Of a mile, and if there Is there's not
poplar rail in it,
And doctor" continued Harry flinging
the canteens over his shoulders, You'll stay
and take cup of coffee and sleep with us
TONIGHT wont you3 The trains are all far
behind. and the hospital wagon must be miles
away"
"See,ns to me that I've heard something Of
the improperly OF visiting your friends lust
about meal time - said the doctor quizzically.
but a cup of coffee Just now has more charms
for me than rigid etiquette, so III thankfully
accept your kind invitation. Some dav II!
reciprocate with liherality IN doses of Gui-
nine
IN less time than that taken by well ap-
pointed kitchens to furnish Hot Meals to
Order the four We're sitting on their blankets
around comfortable fire of rails and cedar
logs eating hard bread and broiled fat pork
and drinking strong black coffee, which the
magic Of the open air had transmitted into
delightfully."- delicate and relishable viands
"You are indebted to me- said DR.. Dens.
low, as he finished the last crumb and drop of
his portion Of his food, .for the accession to
your company at this needful time of tower
Of strength in the person of Lieut. Joseph
Pancake"
Abe groan'd the doctor looked at him with
well feigned astonishmcnt and continued:
That gore hungry patriot, as you know,
la' been home several months on recruiting
duty, by virtue of certificate which be
wheedied out Of old Mozon. At last, when
he couldn't keep away any Logger, he started
hack, but he carefully restrained his natural
impetuosity in rushing TO the tented field, and
his journey from Sardis to Nashville was a
fine specimen of easy deliberation. There
was not sign of ungentlemanly hurry in
any part of it. He came into my ward at
Nashville with violent symptoms of a half
dozen speedily fatal diseases. ! was cruel
enough to see n coincidence in this attack and
the general marching orders, and prescribed
for his ailments q thorough course of open air
tn ha Sr,ra that nv y,rasf,ripti ipp